Creating a Well Stocked Pantry

Face it there are basics that a pantry should have and then there is the personal touch; the "go-to"  items that define you, at least at that moment. Depending upon your likes and dislikes (your kitchen style), your pantry will and should reflect it. A few thoughts: it's not about quantity, but about quality. I don't like buying bulk spices, it takes too long for a regular cook to go through it before it begins to age....unless you feed an army or are a professional...Best to buy smaller and use in a timely fashion. Pantry is typically defined as that in "dry goods", here it will also include those items frozen and refrigerated.
 I'm a firm believer in fresh whenever possible. It does make a deference. That said, in a pinch, convenience and dry/canned/frozen options have come an incredibly long way and will substitute beautifully. I do have a few "rules of thumb": beans of all types and variety can be canned, vegetables, for the most part seem best when frozen (there maybe a few exceptions, tomatoes, but...).
Now for the basics:

1. Can/Boxed broth/stock: I prefer chicken, but if you use more beef, then choose, or buy both.
2. Can tomatoes: purchase a few varieties; paste, whole. crushed, diced. Depending upon application, you'll be prepared.
3. Olive oil: buy quality, a virgin is more versatile, while the extra (darker) virgin is best used as what I call "a finisher"; where you really want to taste the oil as a component in your cooking.
4. Dried pasta: this can also be a refrigerated variety, again a a few different types, short and long, shapes, filled.. I also like gnocchi, so you'll find this one in my pantry. Rice and grains are also in this category; they can really add to the meal, whether used as a side or as the base of the dish.
5. Garlic, onions.
6. Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce. Both not only add flavor, but also add a salty note.
7. Kosher/Sea salt: my personal favorite is the sea salt, but I also like the many specialty ones that can be found these days...it is truly amazing the differences that you can detect.
8. Dried herbs/spices: there is a litany of what is available, purchase those that you enjoy the most or ones that you'd like to introduce into your repertoire. Do your homework...
9. Mustard: coarse grain/Dijon/yellow, again depends upon you, but I like a fancy and a basic, lots of uses.
10. Sweeteners: I mass these together, again a few to keep in mind; honey/brown sugars/10x (confectioner's)/maple syrup/basic... I like have to choices in this; really depends upon if its a salad dressing, glaze, marinade, dessert....you get the picture. 
11. Carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower: they hold for longer then most when fresh; can be purchased frozen along with a variety of other options. Again, this is a personal preference, I like to store those vegetables that can be ready to use in soups, stews, stir-fry, so I also buy frozen medleys.
12. Cheese: well, I love it...all varieties. Best to have on hand grated/shredded or whole Parmigiana, cheddar, Swiss, Gorgonzola or other blues. Cheese has a relatively good shelf life, so I buy a few. Packaged shreds and grated can be frozen. I toss a few in the freezer and pull them when I want to make nachos or a pasta dish (lasagna, baked ziti...).
13. Eggs: "incredible edible", versatile, self contained...good source of protein, can't say enough. It can stand alone or be used as an ingredient.

This is just the tip of the "iceberg", so to speak. There are many things that could be added; think of these things as the building blocks. My pantry also includes tuna fish/can clams and smoked fish varieties: oysters, mussels, kippers, clams, octopus, as well as capers and olives.

Again, this is just the short list... Personal tastes are a huge factor; as you delve into the world of food and cooking, you will find those ingredients that "speak to you", listen and run with it.